Music Nerd School! A 5-Song Primer on the Premier Band of the ’90s “Madchester” Movement, James

Emanating from Manchester, England, in the late ‘80s, the “Madchester” scene boasted several bands who eventually broke through in the U.S., with the help of frequent airplay on modern rock and college radio stations. James was one of the few of those bands who had some crossover success in the U.S., particularly with their albums Laid and Whiplash, both of which charted on the Billboard 200.

James hit their commercial peak in the mid-‘90s, but aside from a six-year hiatus in the 2000s, they have steadily put out albums of new material continuing into the 2020s. While a small sample of their work can’t convey the true breadth of their catalog, these five songs offer a sense of what the rest of James’ discography has to offer, and includes a smattering of some of their biggest hits.

1. “Sit Down”

On their third album, Gold Mother, James expanded from four to seven members. Five members from this iteration of the band, including co-founders Tim Booth and Jim Glennie (the band’s namesake), are still a part of the group. A 1991 reissue of Gold Mother included a re-recorded version of “Sit Down,” and that version of the song broke James through to new audiences in both the U.K. and the U.S. It was their first song to reach any of Billboard’s charts, peaking at No. 9 on their Alternative Airplay rankings.

Booth wrote “Sit Down” about how finding people who understand or share your perspective can be helpful in overcoming loneliness, as reading the works of Doris Lessing had helped him realize. The song is far from the only James track in which Booth reveals something personal, but it’s probably the catchiest of those tunes. An excerpt from “Sit Down” was used in a promotional video for the HBO series Game of Thrones in 2017, which speaks to the song’s enduring appeal.

2. “Born of Frustration”

The follow-up to Gold Mother, Seven, proved to be just as popular, and “Born of Frustration” was the album’s most popular track in the U.S., reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. The song’s message is not all that different from that of “Sit Down,” providing solace to those stymied by their feelings of overwhelm and anger. Booth’s advice to his listeners is to Stop, stop talking about who’s to blame / When all that counts is how to change. “Born of Frustration” offers encouragement with its sounds as well as its words. Booth’s howls feel like a catharsis, and Andy Diagram’s triumphant trumpet blasts sound like a call to action.

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3. “Laid”

If you only know one James song, it’s likely this one. “Laid” is James’ only Billboard Top 100 hit, as it reached No. 61 in April 1994. It’s the title track from the first James album that was produced by Brian Eno, too, so as one might expect, it’s more ambient than their earlier releases. “Laid” has a folkier feel than “Sit Down” and “Born of Frustration,” and thematically, it’s even more of a departure. It’s a quick ditty about a fixation with a lover that’s gotten out of hand; Booth’s character can’t escape his obsession, or the object of his obsession.

4. “Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)”

After Laid, James continued to make quality albums, but they got far less attention in the U.S. Their ninth album, Pleased to Meet You, contains some of Booth’s most nuanced lyrics, and several of the songs deal with taking an honest look at oneself, even when it’s painful. After the emotional turmoil the album takes its listeners through, “Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)” sits toward the back of the track list, waiting to offer encouragement. Booth reassures us that, no matter how bad things seem, “we’re insured.” More than that, he tells us that “getting away with it, all messed up” is the essence of living. Once again, James convinces us of the message with the music, building up to a loud and affirmative final chorus.

5. “Pleased to Meet You”

Unlike the other songs included here, the title track to James’ 2001 album wasn’t a single. But despite its status as a deep cut, it deserves a listen as much as any song in their catalog. James’ singles don’t tend to demonstrate the band’s range, but their catalog includes plenty of quietly atmospheric songs and loud rockers. With “Pleased to Meet You,” you get both ends of James’ sonic range, and the contrast makes it one of their most intriguing songs. Booth’s lyrics about the bravery of self-acceptance deserve nothing less than the powerful treatment his bandmates provide.

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella